Not only must people choose which device to spend their time on, but also what they could be doing — texting, communicating through another social media platform or looking up news online are just several options.

Caplan titled the talk “What is Journalism? You Will Decide” because he thinks students will be the deciders of the future of journalism.

“You will decide what journalism is because without consuming it, without turning to it, without creating an audience for it, the audience just isn’t going to be there,” he said.

He compared consumption patterns of different age cohorts to an archeological cross-section. The way people in their early 20s consume journalism is completely different from the way people in their early 50s do.

The change in technology is positive in many ways, he said.

Since a journalist cannot possibly be on location everywhere in a city where the police are abusing their stop and frisk privilege, having citizens who capture pictures and video with their iPhones and report the scene through texts has redefined modern journalism.

Technology also allows people in New Brunswick to follow a developing story in China, he noted. This was once impossible because consumers were dependent on a big news organization to bring the information back and package it up before distributing it.

John Pavlik, a professor in the School of Communication and Information, asked Caplan what the future of journalism looks like as well as the future of journalism jobs for students.

Caplan argued though journalism has been changing extensively, this is the best time to enter the field because young people are getting to run the show sooner than they would have.

Jack Bratich, chair of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, said Caplan’s talk was one of four to be hosted by the School of Communication and Information. The school is bringing speakers to discuss their thoughts on the present and future of journalism.

“We hope that students will be inspired by the perspective of an accomplished member of the profession, as well as get some important practical tips about their future,” Bratich said in an email.